Packers linked to free agent Brian Gutekunst wanted long ago as analyst outlines ideal offseason moves
Brian Gutekunst tried to trade for Khalil Mack in 2018.
The Green Bay Packers will have some tough roster decisions to make due to cap constraints, and one of them is in regards to Rashan Gary. He’s slated to make $19.5 million in 2026, and the lack of production puts him as an obvious cut candidate.
If that happens, the Packers might look for edge depth behind Micah Parsons and Lukas Van Ness — especially because Kingsley Enagbare is a pending free agent.
And a player general manager Brian Gutekunst wanted a long time ago might be a potential solution. PFF’s Bradley Locker made a list of ideal free agents for each team in the NFL, and he connected edge defender Khalil Mack to the Packers.
Why Khalil Mack makes sense for the Packers
This is what Locker wrote:
“The Packers will receive some automatic additions this offseason as they await the returns of Micah Parsons and Tucker Kraft from season-ending torn ACLs. But even with Parsons back in the fold, Green Bay will need to boost an edge rushing room that owned the 21st-ranked PFF pass-rush grade after its superstar got hurt.
“Whether or not Mack returns for another season is still up in the air, but his productivity isn’t in question. The former Charger produced a 79.2 overall PFF grade last season with a 77.2 PFF run-defense grade and a 13.2% pass-rush win rate. The soon-to-be 35-year-old could bolster Green Bay’s pass-rushing rotation, which may or may not include Rashan Gary in 2026.”
Mack’s situation
Khalil Mack was also set to become a free agent a year ago, but he re-signed with the Los Angeles Chargers on a one-year, $18 million contract. Josh Queipo from PFF projects that Mack will get a new one-year deal, but $14 million this time around.
That’s a significant price tag for a 34-year-old defensive player, though. In 2025, Mack generated 39 pressures and 5.5 sacks — that’s fewer than Gary, who had 54 pressures and 7.5 sacks. However, Mack was better on a down-to-down basis, with higher PFF grades both on pass rush and run defense. At his age, the former defensive player of the year has to be a situational rusher, which could theoretically bring his price down a little bit.
During Khalil Mack’s prime, the Packers tried to acquire him from the Raiders back in 2018, but he went to the Chicago Bears instead — a lesson that Brian Gutekunst learned and applied to be more aggressive when negotiating for Micah Parsons. Mack played four years in Chicago before moving to the Chargers, where he played in the past four seasons.
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